Machine for tightening caps on containers



July 13, 1948. I J, Hol-" 2,445,270 MACHINE Fon TIGHTENING CAPs oNcoNTAINERs Filed Jan. 11,. 1945 Patented July 13, 1948 MACHINE FORTIGHTENING CAPS N CONTAINERS VJohn Hohl, Toledo, Ohio, assignor toOwens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application January11, 1945, vSerial No. 572,351

My invention relates to machines for tightening caps or closure deviceson containers such as jars, bottles and the like and is herein disclosedas embodied in a vacuum sealing machine in which jars are vacuumized andthe closure caps then forced into position to seal the jars..

An object of the invention is to provide an,

improved construction adapted for sealing jars and the like with caps ofthe side or top seal type in which the cap is tightened or forced intoposition to seal the container by a straight downward pressure appliedto the cap.

The invention as herein illustrated, is embodied in a machine of thetype `disclosed in the patent to Hohl et al., No. 2,338,852, Vacuumsealing machine, January 1l, 1944. This patent discloses` a machine forsealing jars and comprises means for rotating a screw cap to sealingposition on the jar. The present invention comprises a novel mechanismby which top ressure is applied to the cap/for forcing it into sealingposition by a straight downward movement of the cap.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the machine, showingparticularly one, of the vacuum sealing and cap tightening heads orunits.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary part-sectional plan` view showing portions ofadjoining units.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a portion of the sealingunit shown in Fig. 1 but with the cap tightening pusher in its liftedposition.

The mechanism herein shown comprises many features of construction thesame as disclosed in saidpatent to Hohl et al. to which reference may behad for a full disclosure of the general construction and operation ofthe machine. Such machine includes a carriage or turret rotatable aboutra vertical axis and having thereon a plurality of vacuumizing andsealing units arranged in an annular series.

Referring to the drawings, the vacuumizing and sealing units I0 aremounted on -a rotary platform II forming part of the carriage which isrotated about a. vertical axis. Directly beneath each sealing unit is apedestal comprising a platform I2 on which a container I 3 is supportedw'hile being vacuumized and sealed. The platform is attached to a stemI4 which is mounted for up and down movement in bearings in a platformIl* forming part of the carriage, for moving the jar into and out ofsealing engagement with the vacuum head or bell I5 which forms a part ofthe sealing unit. The bell I5 7 claims. y(ci. 22e-ss) is attached to theunder surface of the platform I I and provides a vacuum chamber I8. Thebell is formed with a tubular lhub extension I1 which projects upwardthrough an opening in the platform and is secured in place by a ring IIl threaded thereon. Bolts I9 provide additional attaching means andprevent rotation of the bell. A clamping ring 2l threaded on the lowerend of the bell I5 serves to clamp a bearing ring 21 against a sealinggasket 23. A ring gasket 2l ls clamped in position against the ring 22by a clamping ring 25. When a .lar 'Il is moved upward into engagementwith the gasket 24. it'

makes sealing contact therewith.

Each jar I3 has a closure device or cap C placed loosely thereon beforethe jar is lifted up to the sealing unit. The cap may be provided with aside sealing ring or top sealing gasket, the jar and cap being adaptedto permit the cap to be sealed on the jar by a straight downwardpressure on the cap. When the jar is lifted into sealing contact withthe gasket 24, suction may be applied in the chamberlfor vacuumizing thejar. The cap is then forced downward to sealing position by means of captightening mechanism including a pusher comprising a plate 26 which ismoved up and down by means of a rotary tightening spindle 21, theoperation of which will presently be-described. The pusher plate Ii isheld against rotation by a pin N attached to the vacuum bell. The pusheris provided with la face plate 29 attached to the plate 2l by screws 3|.The face plate is preferably made of magnetic material and is magnetizedto hold the cap C as hereinafter described. A disk l2 oi' rubber orother resilient material, is interposed between the plate '26 and faceplate 29 to permit an even distribution of pressure on the cap.

The tightening spindle 21 is tubular and is journaledfor rotation aboutits axis within the frame 33 of the sealing unit. An adapter Il, formedwith an internal screw thread, is mounted on the lower end| of thespindle 21 for rotation therewith. A key 35 secures the adapter againstrotation relatively to the spindle. ,The adapter is held up to thespindle by means of a ball Il and lock screw 3l. A spring-loaded packinggland 38 provides a seal between the spindle and its bearing. A screwshaft 40 formed with a lefthand screw thread, is welded to the plate IIand is threaded through the adapter Il. Rotation of the spindle 21 andattached adapter operates through the nonrotatable screw shaft Il tocause vertical movement of the pusher plate 2C.

Mechanism for rotating' the spindle 21 includes a coil spring 4I housedwithin the frame I3. The inner end of the spring is attached by a pin 42to a sleeve 43 keyed to the spindle 21; The outer end of the spring isattached to a ring gear 44 mounted within the frame 33 and rotatablyadjustable therein for adjusting the tension of the spring. This meansfor rotating the ring gear includes a shaft 45I mounted in the frame 3land formed with gear teeth which mesh with those of the ring gear. Thisadjusting mechanism may be operated as fully set forth in theabovementioned patent.

The rotation of the spindle 21 is under the control of a stationary camtrack 46 formed onv the periphery of a stationary cam plate 41. Rockarms 48. individual to the sealing units are mounted for rotation, eachabout-the axis of spindle 21, each arm being formed with a hub 49surrounding the spindle and provided with roller bearings 50. Each arm48 carries a cam follower roll IIi running on the cam track 46. Theouter end of the arm 48 is formed with a segmental rack 52 which runs inmesh with gear teeth 53 formed on the sleeve 43. Each arm 48 isJournaled in one sealing unit and operates the tightening device for thenext sealing unit. The track 46v is concentric with the carriage for thegreater portion of its circumference and includes a comparatively shortre-entrant section controlling the rocking movements of the arms 48,said re-entrant portion comprising a section 54 controlling the inwardswinging movement of the arm 4I and a section 55 which causes theoutward movement of the arm. These operating sections 54 and 55 may beformed on a cam patch 56 removably mounted on the plate 41 andreplaceable by other patches of different contours.

'I'he operation is as follows:

While the spindle 21 is in its lifted position (Fig. 3) the jar I3 witha cap C loosely seated thereon, is lifted by the platform I2 intosealing contact with the gasket 24. Suction is then applied through thevacuum chamber I6 to vacuumize the jar and its contents. When the jarmoves up to the sealing head, the cap is picked up and held by themagnetized face plate 29 as shown in Fig. 3. The space between the faceplate 29 and the top surface 58 of the jar is somewhat narrower than thedepth of the cap, so that if drawing of vacuum in the jar causes the capto jump, it is prevented from slipping off the jar or i becomingdisplaced. Immediately following the lifting and vacuumizing of the jar,the cam follower roll I runs onto the operating section 54 of the camwhich permits the arm 48 to be swung inwardly by the coil spring 4 I,thereby rotating the cap tightening spindle 21 in a clockwise direction.The screw-threaded adapter or nut 34 being attached to the spindle androtated thereby, forces the nonrotating screw shaft 4l and plate 26downward, thereby forcing the cap C downward to sealing position on thejar I 3. The cap is arrested in this position while the cam followerroll 5I is at an intermediate point on the operating cam section 54, sothat the roll disengages the cam and the pressure applied to the cap isdetermined by the tension of the spring. After the cap has been thusforced onto the container, the cam section 55 swings the arm 48outwardly, thereby rewinding the coil spring preparatory to the nextoperation. 'I'he vacuum in the bell I5 is released and 'the platform I2moved downward with the sealed jar thereon. The parts are preferably soproportioned that less than a complete rotation of the spindle isrequired to carry the pusher plate 26 through its full range ofmovement.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of myinvention.

I claim:

l. A machine for tightening caps on containers, comprising a support fora container, a pusher plate, means for holding said pusher plate spacedabove said support with the plate positioned over a container on thesupport and a cap loosely seated on the container, a vertical captightening spindle mounted over said plate, means for rotating thespindle about its axis, and means providing driving connections betweenthe spindle and pusher plate including a screw shaft xed to said plateand an internally screw-threaded element attached to said spindle forrotation therewith and in threaded engagement with said screw shaft,whereby rotation of the spindle causes vertical movement of said pusherplate, said means for rotating the spindle comprising a coil springsurrounding and connected to the spindle for rotating itin onedirection, and positive means for rotating the spindle in the oppositedirection.

2. A machine for vacuumlzfing and sealing jars or other containers, saidmachine comprising a platform forming a support for a container with acap loosely placed on the container, a downwardly opening vacuum chamberspaced above said platform, means for holding thefplatform with thecontainer thereon in position for the container to seal said chamber. apusher plate within said chamber, a vertical screw shaft attached tosaid plate, a vertical spindle above and in alignment with said screwshaft, an adapter connected to the spindle for rotation therewith andhaving a screw-threaded connection with said screw shaft, means forholding the pusher plate against rotation, means for rotating saidspindle back and forth about its axis for moving the pusher platedownward and forcing the cap into sealing position on the jar and forwithdrawing the pusher plate, means for rotating said spindle comprisinga coil spring connected to and applying a driving torque to the spindle,an arm having a driving connection with the spindle, and a camcontrolling the movement of said arm, thereby controlling the rotationof the spindle by the spring in one direction, said cam including asection arranged to rotate the spindle in the opposite direction.

3. A machine for tightening caps on jars comprising a support for a jarwith a cap loosely seated thereon, a vertical cap tightening spindlespaced above said support, a pusher plate beneath said spindle, a screwshaft ilxed to said plate in vertical alignment with the spindle, meansfor holding said plate against rotation, an adapter connected to rotatewith the spindle and having a screw-threaded connection with said screwshaft, a spring connected to the spindle and providing means forrotating the spindle and thereby moving the pusher plate downward andcausing it to push the said cap downward and tighten it on the jar, andspeed control means for limiting and determining the speed at which thepusher plate is moved downward by the spring.

4. A machine for tightening caps on jars comprising a support for a jarwith a cap loosely seated thereon, a vertical cap tightening spindlespaced above said support, a. pusher plate beneath said spindle, a screwshaft fixed to said plate ln vertical alignment with the spindle, meansfor holding said plate against rotation, an adapter connected to rotatewith the spindle and having a screw-threaded connection with said screwshaft, a face plate beneath and connected to the pusher plate, aresilient pad interposed between said plates, a coil spring surroundingand connected to the spindle and providing means for rotating thespindle and thereby moving the pusher plate downward and causing it topush the said cap downward and tighten it on the jar, and automaticmeans for rewinding the coil spring.

5. A cap tighteningl machine comprising a rotatable carriage, asupporton the carriage for a container and cap, a pusher plate mounted abovesaid-support for movement up and down relative thereto, means for.pushing said plate downward and thereby forcing the cap downward andtightening it on the container, said pushing means including a spindle,a spring, means vfor holding the spring under tension, means cooperatingwith the spring for causing the tension thereof to rotate said spindle,a stationary cam and means on the carriage controlled by said cam fordetermining and controlling the time and speed of rotation of thespindle by the spring, and means interposed between said spindle andpusher plate providing driving connections by which the rotation of thespindle applies a straight downward movement to said plate.

6. A machine for sealing caps tolcontainers comprising arotatable-carriage, a support on the carriagr for a container, a pusherplate positioned above said support, a cap tightening spindle mounted onthe carriage above and in vertical arm and rotate the spindle, meansproviding a dniving connectionbetween the spindle and said l pusherplate by which rotation of the s lindle' imparts verticalmovement tosaid plate, means for holding the latter against rotation with themounted on the carriage, a screw shaft fixed to said pusher plate inalignment with the spindle, an adapter attached to the spindle andhaving a screw-threaded 'connection with said shaft whereby rotation ofthe spindle imparts vertical movement to the pusher plate, means forholding the pusher plate and screw shaft against rota.

tion with the spindle, a coil spring held under tension and operativelyconnected to the'spindle forrotating the latter and thereby causing thepusher plate to push a cap down into tightened position on the saidcontainer, a stationary cam,

and means operated thereby for rewinding the spring. v v

JOHN Horn..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

- vUNITED STATES PATENTS 33 Number Name Date 25,427 Lindsay et al. Sept.13, 1809 '174,195 McDonald Nov. 8, 1904 1,469,874 Beardsley et al. Oct.9, 1923 1,294,820 Middleton Feb. 18, 1919 40 1,920,240 Brady Aug. 1,1933 Clarkey sept. 13, l193e A.

